diff --git a/codex-plonky2-circuits/src/recursion/tree_recursion2.rs b/codex-plonky2-circuits/src/recursion/tree_recursion2.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9de97a0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/codex-plonky2-circuits/src/recursion/tree_recursion2.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,389 @@
+use plonky2::iop::target::BoolTarget;
+use plonky2::iop::witness::{PartialWitness, WitnessWrite};
+use plonky2::plonk::circuit_builder::CircuitBuilder;
+use plonky2::plonk::circuit_data::{CircuitConfig, CircuitData, CommonCircuitData, VerifierCircuitTarget, VerifierOnlyCircuitData};
+use plonky2::plonk::config::GenericConfig;
+use plonky2::plonk::proof::{ProofWithPublicInputs, ProofWithPublicInputsTarget};
+use plonky2_poseidon2::poseidon2_hash::poseidon2::Poseidon2;
+use crate::recursion::params::{C, D, F, H};
+use crate::recursion::inner_circuit::InnerCircuit;
+use anyhow::{anyhow, Result};
+use plonky2::recursion::cyclic_recursion::check_cyclic_proof_verifier_data;
+// use serde::de::Unexpected::Option;
+use crate::circuits::utils::select_hash;
+use crate::recursion::{leaf_circuit, utils};
+use crate::recursion::utils::{get_dummy_leaf_proof, get_dummy_node_proof};
+
+/// the tree recursion struct simplifies the process
+/// of building, proving and verifying
+/// - N: number of inner proofs to verify in the node circuit
+pub struct TreeRecursion<
+    const N: usize,
+>{
+    pub node: NodeCircuit<N>
+}
+
+impl<
+    const N: usize,
+> TreeRecursion<N> {
+
+    // pub fn new(node_circ: NodeCircuit<N>) -> Self{
+    //     Self{
+    //         node_circ,
+    //     }
+    // }
+
+    pub fn build(
+    ) -> Result<Self>{
+        Ok(
+            Self{
+                node: NodeCircuit::<N>::build_circuit()?,
+            }
+        )
+    }
+
+    /// generates a proof - only one node
+    /// takes N proofs
+    pub fn prove(
+        &mut self,
+        // node_targets: NodeCircuitTargets<N>,
+        leaf_proof_options: Option<[ProofWithPublicInputs<F, C, D>; N]>,
+        node_proof_options: Option<[ProofWithPublicInputs<F, C, D>; N]>,
+        // leaf_verifier_only_data: &VerifierOnlyCircuitData<C, D>,
+        is_leaf: bool,
+    ) -> Result<ProofWithPublicInputs<F, C, D>>{
+
+        let mut pw = PartialWitness::new();
+
+        NodeCircuit::assign_targets(
+            self.node.node_targets.clone(),
+            leaf_proof_options,
+            node_proof_options,
+            &self.node.node_data.leaf_circuit_data.verifier_only,
+            &mut pw,
+            is_leaf,
+        )?;
+
+        let proof = self.node.node_data.node_circuit_data.prove(pw)?;
+
+        //TODO: move this to verify function
+        if !is_leaf {
+            check_cyclic_proof_verifier_data(
+                &proof,
+                &self.node.node_data.node_circuit_data.verifier_only,
+                &self.node.node_data.node_circuit_data.common,
+            )?;
+        }
+
+        Ok(proof)
+    }
+
+    /// prove n leaf proofs in a tree structure
+    /// the function uses circuit data from self takes
+    /// - leaf_proofs:  vector of circuit inputs
+    pub fn prove_tree(
+        &mut self,
+        leaf_proofs: Vec<ProofWithPublicInputs<F, C, D>>,
+    ) -> Result<ProofWithPublicInputs<F, C, D>> {
+        // 1. Check the total number of leaf_proofs is divisible by N
+        if leaf_proofs.len() % N != 0 {
+            return Err(anyhow!(
+            "input proofs must be divisible by {}, got {}",
+            N,
+            leaf_proofs.len()
+        ));
+        }
+
+        // 2. Prepare the dummy proofs
+        // let node_targets = self.node.node_targets.clone();
+
+        let dummy_node_proof = get_dummy_node_proof(
+            &self.node.node_data.inner_node_common_data,
+            &self.node.node_data.node_circuit_data.verifier_only,
+        );
+        let dummy_node_proofs: [ProofWithPublicInputs<F, C, D>; N] = (0..N)
+            .map(|_| dummy_node_proof.clone())
+            .collect::<Vec<_>>()
+            .try_into()
+            .map_err(|_| anyhow!("Expected exactly N node dummy proofs"))?;
+
+        let dummy_leaf_proof = get_dummy_leaf_proof(&self.node.node_data.leaf_circuit_data.common);
+        let dummy_leaf_proofs: [ProofWithPublicInputs<F, C, D>; N] = (0..N)
+            .map(|_| dummy_leaf_proof.clone())
+            .collect::<Vec<_>>()
+            .try_into()
+            .map_err(|_| anyhow!("Expected exactly N leaf dummy proofs"))?;
+
+        // 3. Work through levels of proofs until only one remains
+        let mut current_level_proofs = leaf_proofs;
+
+        // Keep reducing until we’re left with 1 proof
+        let mut level: usize = 0;
+        while current_level_proofs.len() >= N {
+            let mut next_level_proofs = Vec::new();
+
+            // Process in chunks of N
+            for chunk in current_level_proofs.chunks_exact(N) {
+                // Convert the chunk slice into a fixed-size array
+                let chunk_array: [ProofWithPublicInputs<F, C, D>; N] = chunk
+                    .to_vec() // create a Vec
+                    .try_into()
+                    .map_err(|_| anyhow!("Failed to convert to array of size N"))?;
+
+                // Decide which side is the leaf or node
+                // The logic here assumes the "first" chunk is the leaf
+                let (leaf_chunk, node_chunk, is_leaf) = if level == 0 {
+                    (chunk_array, dummy_node_proofs.clone(), true)
+                } else {
+                    (dummy_leaf_proofs.clone(), chunk_array, false)
+                };
+
+                let node = self.prove(
+                    // node_targets.clone(),
+                    Some(leaf_chunk),
+                    Some(node_chunk),
+                    is_leaf,
+                )?;
+
+                next_level_proofs.push(node);
+            }
+
+            current_level_proofs = next_level_proofs;
+            level = level + 1;
+        }
+
+        // 4. Check that exactly one proof remains
+        if current_level_proofs.len() != 1 {
+            return Err(anyhow!(
+            "Expected exactly 1 final proof, found {}",
+            current_level_proofs.len()
+        ));
+        }
+
+        // 5. Return the final root proof
+        Ok(current_level_proofs.remove(0))
+    }
+
+    /// verifies the proof generated
+    /// TODO: separate prover from verifier.
+    pub fn verify_proof(
+        &self,
+        proof: ProofWithPublicInputs<F, C, D>
+    ) -> Result<()>{
+
+        self.node.node_data.node_circuit_data.verify(proof)?;
+
+        Ok(())
+    }
+}
+
+
+/// Node circuit struct
+/// contains necessary data
+/// N: number of proofs verified in-circuit (so num of child nodes)
+pub struct NodeCircuit<
+    const N: usize,
+>{
+    pub node_targets: NodeCircuitTargets<N>,
+    pub node_data: NodeData,
+}
+
+/// Node circuit targets
+/// assumes that all leaf proofs use the same verifier data
+#[derive(Clone, Debug)]
+pub struct NodeCircuitTargets<
+    const N: usize,
+>{
+    pub leaf_proofs: [ProofWithPublicInputsTarget<D>; N],
+    pub condition: BoolTarget,
+    pub node_proofs: [ProofWithPublicInputsTarget<D>; N],
+    pub leaf_verifier_data: VerifierCircuitTarget,
+}
+
+/// Node common data and verifier data
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub struct NodeData<
+>{
+    pub node_circuit_data: CircuitData<F, C, D>,
+    pub inner_node_common_data: CommonCircuitData<F, D>,
+    pub leaf_circuit_data: CircuitData<F, C, D>,
+}
+
+impl<
+    const N: usize,
+> NodeCircuit< N> {
+
+    /// builds the node circuit
+    /// the circuit data and targets are stored in the node struct
+    pub fn build_circuit(
+    ) -> Result<NodeCircuit<N>>{
+
+        // builder with standard recursion config
+        let config = CircuitConfig::standard_recursion_config();
+        let mut builder = CircuitBuilder::<F, D>::new(config);
+
+        // circuit data for leaf
+        let leaf_circ_data = leaf_circuit::circuit_data_for_leaf()?;
+        // common data for leaf
+        let leaf_common = leaf_circ_data.common.clone();
+
+        // virtual proofs for leaf proofs
+        let mut leaf_proofs = vec![];
+        for i in 0..N {
+            let vir_proof = builder.add_virtual_proof_with_pis(&leaf_common);
+            leaf_proofs.push(vir_proof);
+        }
+
+        // get the public input hash from all inner proof targets
+        let mut leaf_pub_input_hashes = vec![];
+        for i in 0..N {
+            let inner_cyclic_pis = &leaf_proofs[i].public_inputs;
+            leaf_pub_input_hashes.extend_from_slice(&inner_cyclic_pis[0..4]);
+        }
+        // hash the public input so H(H_0, ..., H_N)
+        let leaf_pub_input_hash = builder.hash_n_to_hash_no_pad::<H>(leaf_pub_input_hashes);
+
+        // leaf verifier data
+        // TODO: double check that it is ok for this verifier data to be private/witness
+        let leaf_verifier_data = builder.add_virtual_verifier_data(leaf_common.config.fri_config.cap_height);
+
+        // condition
+        let condition = builder.add_virtual_bool_target_safe();
+
+        // verify leaf proofs in-circuit if it is a leaf node,
+        // meaning that we are on bottom layer of the tree
+        for i in 0..N{
+            builder.conditionally_verify_proof_or_dummy::<C>(condition,&leaf_proofs[i],&leaf_verifier_data, &leaf_common)?;
+        }
+
+        // common data for recursion
+        let mut common_data = utils::common_data_for_node::<N>()?;
+        // public input hash. defined here so that is public_input[0..4]
+        let pub_input_hash = builder.add_virtual_hash_public_input();
+        // verifier data for the recursion.
+        let _verifier_data_target = builder.add_verifier_data_public_inputs();
+        common_data.num_public_inputs = builder.num_public_inputs();
+
+        // flipped condition. used to conditionally verify the node proofs (recursive proofs)
+        let one = builder.one();
+        let flipped_condition = BoolTarget::new_unsafe(builder.sub(one,condition.target));
+
+        let inner_cyclic_proof_with_pis: [ProofWithPublicInputsTarget<D>; N] = (0..N)
+            .map(|_| builder.add_virtual_proof_with_pis(&common_data))
+            .collect::<Vec<_>>()
+            .try_into()
+            .map_err(|_| anyhow!("Expected exactly N proof targets"))?;
+
+        // get the public input hash from all inner proof targets
+        let mut inner_pub_input_hashes = vec![];
+        for i in 0..N {
+            let inner_cyclic_pis = &inner_cyclic_proof_with_pis[i].public_inputs;
+            inner_pub_input_hashes.extend_from_slice(&inner_cyclic_pis[0..4]);
+        }
+        // hash all the node public input h = H(h_1 | h_2 | ... | h_N)
+        // TODO: optimize by removing the need for 2 hashes and instead select then hash
+        let inner_pub_input_hash = builder.hash_n_to_hash_no_pad::<H>(inner_pub_input_hashes);
+
+        let node_hash_or_leaf_hash = select_hash(&mut builder, condition, leaf_pub_input_hash, inner_pub_input_hash);
+
+        builder.connect_hashes(pub_input_hash,node_hash_or_leaf_hash);
+
+        // verify all N proofs in-circuit
+        for i in 0..N {
+            builder.conditionally_verify_cyclic_proof_or_dummy::<C>(
+                flipped_condition,
+                &inner_cyclic_proof_with_pis[i],
+                &common_data,
+            )?;
+        }
+
+        // build the node circuit
+        let node_circuit_data = builder.build::<C>();
+
+        // collect the leaf proofs
+        let leaf_proofs: [ProofWithPublicInputsTarget<D>; N] = (0..N)
+            .map(|i| {
+                leaf_proofs[i].clone()
+            })
+            .collect::<Vec<_>>()
+            .try_into()
+            .map_err(|_| anyhow!("Expected exactly M inner circuits"))?;
+
+        // store targets
+        let node_targets = NodeCircuitTargets::<N>{
+            leaf_proofs,
+            condition,
+            node_proofs: inner_cyclic_proof_with_pis,
+            leaf_verifier_data
+        };
+
+        let node_data = NodeData{
+            node_circuit_data,
+            inner_node_common_data: common_data,
+            leaf_circuit_data: leaf_circ_data,
+        };
+
+        let node = NodeCircuit{
+            node_targets,
+            node_data,
+        };
+
+        Ok(node)
+    }
+
+    /// assigns the targets for the Node circuit - takes
+    /// - either leaf or circuit proofs
+    /// - leaf circuit data
+    /// - partial witness
+    /// - bool value, true if leaf node, otherwise false.
+    pub fn assign_targets(
+        node_targets: NodeCircuitTargets<N>,
+        leaf_proof_options: Option<[ProofWithPublicInputs<F, C, D>; N]>,
+        node_proof_options: Option<[ProofWithPublicInputs<F, C, D>; N]>,
+        leaf_verifier_only_data: &VerifierOnlyCircuitData<C, D>,
+        pw: &mut PartialWitness<F>,
+        is_leaf: bool,
+    ) -> Result<()>{
+
+        if(is_leaf == true) {
+            let leaf_proofs: [ProofWithPublicInputs<F, C, D>; N] = leaf_proof_options.unwrap();
+            // dummy
+            let dummy_node = node_proof_options.unwrap();
+            // assign the condition
+            pw.set_bool_target(node_targets.condition, true)?;
+            for i in 0..N {
+                // assign the node proofs with dummy
+                pw.set_proof_with_pis_target::<C, D>(
+                    &node_targets.node_proofs[i],
+                    &dummy_node[i],
+                )?;
+                // assign the leaf proof with real proofs
+                pw.set_proof_with_pis_target(
+                    &node_targets.leaf_proofs[i],
+                    &leaf_proofs[i]
+                )?;
+            }
+        }else{
+            // assign the condition
+            pw.set_bool_target(node_targets.condition, false)?;
+            // node proofs
+            let node_proofs = node_proof_options.unwrap(); // add error check
+            // dummy leaf
+            let dummy_leaf = leaf_proof_options.unwrap();
+            for i in 0..N {
+                // assign the node proofs
+                pw.set_proof_with_pis_target(&node_targets.node_proofs[i], &node_proofs[i])?;
+                // assign leaf proofs with dummy
+                pw.set_proof_with_pis_target::<C, D>(
+                    &node_targets.leaf_proofs[i],
+                    &dummy_leaf[i],
+                )?;
+            }
+        }
+        // assign the verifier data (only for the leaf proofs)
+        pw.set_verifier_data_target(&node_targets.leaf_verifier_data, leaf_verifier_only_data)?;
+
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/codex-plonky2-circuits/src/recursion/utils.rs b/codex-plonky2-circuits/src/recursion/utils.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..62a18ee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/codex-plonky2-circuits/src/recursion/utils.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+use plonky2::plonk::circuit_data::{CircuitConfig, CommonCircuitData, VerifierOnlyCircuitData};
+use plonky2::plonk::circuit_builder::CircuitBuilder;
+use plonky2::gates::noop::NoopGate;
+use plonky2::plonk::proof::ProofWithPublicInputs;
+use plonky2::recursion::dummy_circuit::{cyclic_base_proof, dummy_circuit, dummy_proof};
+use hashbrown::HashMap;
+use crate::recursion::params::{C, D, F};
+
+/// Generates `CommonCircuitData` usable for node recursion.
+/// the circuit being built here depends on M and N so must be re-generated
+/// if the params change
+pub fn common_data_for_node<const N: usize>() -> anyhow::Result<CommonCircuitData<F, D>>
+{
+    // layer 1
+    let config = CircuitConfig::standard_recursion_config();
+    let builder = CircuitBuilder::<F, D>::new(config);
+    let data = builder.build::<C>();
+
+    // layer 2
+    let config = CircuitConfig::standard_recursion_config();
+    let mut builder = CircuitBuilder::<F, D>::new(config.clone());
+    let verifier_data = builder.add_virtual_verifier_data(data.common.config.fri_config.cap_height);
+    // generate and verify N number of proofs
+    for _ in 0..1 {
+        let proof = builder.add_virtual_proof_with_pis(&data.common);
+        builder.verify_proof::<C>(&proof, &verifier_data, &data.common);
+    }
+    let data = builder.build::<C>();
+
+    // layer 3
+    let config = CircuitConfig::standard_recursion_config();
+    let mut builder = CircuitBuilder::<F, D>::new(config.clone());
+
+    // add a ConstantGate
+    builder.add_gate(
+        plonky2::gates::constant::ConstantGate::new(config.num_constants),
+        vec![],
+    );
+
+    // generate and verify N number of proofs
+    let verifier_data = builder.add_verifier_data_public_inputs();
+    for _ in 0..N {
+        let proof = builder.add_virtual_proof_with_pis(&data.common);
+        builder.verify_proof::<C>(&proof, &verifier_data, &data.common);
+    }
+    // pad. TODO: optimize this padding to only needed number of gates
+    while builder.num_gates() < 1 << 14 {
+        builder.add_gate(NoopGate, vec![]);
+    }
+    Ok(builder.build::<C>().common)
+}
+
+// creates a dummy proof with given common circuit data
+pub fn get_dummy_leaf_proof(common_data: &CommonCircuitData<F, D>) -> ProofWithPublicInputs<F, C, D> {
+    dummy_proof::<F, C, D>(
+        &dummy_circuit::<F, C, D>(common_data),
+        HashMap::new(),
+    ).unwrap()
+}
+
+pub fn get_dummy_node_proof(node_common: &CommonCircuitData<F, D>, node_verifier_only_data: &VerifierOnlyCircuitData<C, D>) -> ProofWithPublicInputs<F, C, D>{
+    cyclic_base_proof(
+        node_common,
+        node_verifier_only_data,
+        HashMap::new(),
+    )
+}
+
+